Holtby looks ahead but where will he feature?

The potential arrival of Paulinho at White Hart Lane raises as many questions as it would answer with several first team players already struggling for game time at White Hart Lane. Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurdsson were just two of the new arrivals under Andre Villas-Boas but will either man be jettisoned before this transfer window closes?

A third new signing, Lewis Holtby, is unlikely to be leaving for some time yet but the German international is another player whose opportunities may be even more restricted in the new campaign.

For now however, our winter arrival from Schalke 04 is just looking ahead to pre-season.

“We meet for pre-season and then go to Hong Kong and that will be important,” said Lewis on the club’s official website.

“It’s a chance to get to know everyone a bit more and that was the only thing I missed when I joined. I just jumped straight in!”

Those comments are almost identical to one quoted by the website at the start of June,

“It’s important for me now to have a summer break as we then meet for pre-season and go to Hong Kong. That will be very important. You adapt more, get to know everyone more and more and that was the only thing I missed when I joined.”

Other than emphasising a very slow period of news, the two separate quotes just underline Lewis’ desire to make an impact at the Lane but will he get his chance in 2013-14?